Process of assembling filter-stack units



De'c. l1, 1928. 1,694,939

v. R. HEFTLER PROCESS oF ASSEMBLING FxLTER STACK UNITS Filed Dec. 30,1927 gwuemkya N9@ @@Qi* atroz/"ms I YPatented Dec. 11, 192s.

UNITED STATES- VIGTOR R. HEFTLER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

PROCESS lOIEl ASSEMBLING FILTER-STACK UNITS.

Application lcd December 3D, 1927. Serial No. 243,602.

This invention relates to an improved method of assembling the componentlaminary elements of a filter construction lsuch as is described andclaimed in Letters Patent No. v 1,641,485, issued to me on September 6,1927, which, however, made no eort to specify whether this particularphase of the devices manufacture should be effected manually ormechanically. The positioning of each disc upon the correlating membermay of course be effected manually, but this is at best a long andtedious operation, and the process herein described is designed tosimplify and abbreviate the work without impairment of the eiiciency ofthe completed structure, it being understood, as clearly brought out inthe patent referred to, that the essence of the filter stack is 'thesubstantially coaxial and non-rotatable assemblage of the two classes offiltering dises in such a way as to form the stack described; and let itbe pointed out at the outset that while in that patent and herein thecentral or correlating stem was assumed to be squared or at leastrectangular, any non-circular cross section for the stem and for thecorrespondingly apertured center portions of the discs may be employed,Without departure from the fair spirit of my invention; for example, ahexagonal, Octagonal, or elliptical contour could be adopted withoutchange of function or results.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view vof two representative forms of filter discwhich may bel designated as 'A and B respectively, whose alternatingarrangement about a correlating stem results in the building up of thefilter element.

Figure 2 is a perspective of several of these discs positioned coaxiallyand suiiciently spacedly, so ,as to bring out their cooperating functionwhen assembled in the filter stack as a whole.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of aribbon of metal inwhich have beencut, in alternating relation along successive sections thereof,apertures corresponding in position to theintraeri heral portions of acomplete disc of eadh o the series, A and B.

Figure 4 is. a 1an view of such a ribbon.

Figure 5 is a ragmentary plan View suggestin a slight modificationwherein a ribbon o doub e lthe lordinary width is provided, in orderthat transversely of each unit of lengthwise'extent two partiallycutcentral aperture, as C, four equidistantly spaced holes, as D, andfour intermediately placed cut-away portions, as E, but, that relativelyto the sides and corners of the squared hole C, these other twocharacterlstic parts -of the disc of series A and series B are placed onopposite sides of one another; for example, .that whereas the lowerright corner of the squared aperture C in the disc A points radiallyoutward substantially along the lower edge of one of the cut-awaysegments E, as brought out by the dotted line G, the corresponding lowerright corner of the squared portion C of the disc B similarly pointsoutward along the dotted line H substantially following` the top edge ofone of the cut-away portions E.

It will be obvious from a study of the two types of washer, A and B,shown side by side in Figure 1, that if one of them, as for example A,were turned through a half circle, with its edge nearest B- as an axis,so as to-be superimposed, face downward upon the latter, the two would,in this position be of identical contour. Since, however, .the

'process involves an yentire abstinence from any overturning of eitherfrom their initial common plane as they are successively stamped outfrom the ribbon and fall successively in place in the stackthe two typesof washers do vary in the respects shown.

It is thus obvious that if an alternated series of discs A and B arearranged about a squared stem passing through their similarly squaredcenters, the four open or cutaway peripheral portions E of each will liein registry with unbroken peripheral portions as Q, of the disc aboveand the disc below, thus constituting the inlets leading .to thelongitudinal channels in the stack as a whole, formed by the alternatedregistry of the four holes D in each disc and of the inner ends of thefour cut-away portions E ofthe adjoining discs. If owever, some meanssuch as the squaring of the stem K and the corresponding shaping of thecentral aperture lC in each-disc were not resorted to, this arrangementwould not be automaticallyv effected when the discs are posiof ametallic or other ribbonlike strip, and

the first step of my process merely consists in thus preparing the stripM in the man- .ner broughtl out in Figures 3 and 4, either by successivepunching with alternated. punches of variant cut or preferably by asingle die cutting step, whose act-ive points or edges result in acutting of the groups of apertures designated as a and b in Figure 3.These, it will be noted, are identical, except for positioning of theholes D and apertures E relatively to the sides and corners of the`square portion C. This still leaves the component material which is toresult in the various discs sufficiently integrated with the web of theribbon so that except for the forming of the holes it is unseveredtherev from. All that remains, however, to complete the contouring ofeach dise lof either type A or type B is a further cutting operation bya round die, 'as-L, whose line of operative activity is indicated 'bythe dotted line J, whichin Figures 4 and 5 isV truly circular, whereasin perspective Figure 3 it is shown as elliptical.

To effect this, the partiallyprepared ribbon M is successivelypositioned aided if desired by the accurately spaced guide holes P nearthe lateral edges of the ribbon so that in turn each of these partlyformed disc sections are axially coincident with the central axis of thesquared stem K, or other correlating member which is placed slightlysubjacent thereof. As each section of the ribbon is brought into thisposition, it is subjectedto the action of a circular cutting die such ashas just been described, and which I have indicated at L, whichcompletes the severance in succession of those portions of the web ofthe ribbon which have formed the discs A and B from the remainingmarginal portion thereof which may then be scrapped. These now severeddisc sections are thus released by gravity-induced fall upon and overthe squared stem K, and since they have beeny cut as regards theirapertured portions in the alternating arrangement already mentioned, itis obvious that they will automatically fall thus upon and about thesquared stem K thus leffecting the assemblage of its component discelements rapidly, accurately, and with a minimum of labor. In the ribbonillustrated in perspective in Figure 8, I have indicated at R thecut-out hole left in the ribbon M after the final stamping out of eachdisc unit hasbeen completed. In thev broader form of ribbon illustratedin Figure- 5 these holes 'P may conveniently be positioned along themiddle line thereof.

I desire it to be understood that I do not laniinary elements of afiltering stack, whichVU consists in first partiallystamping out thediverse members in alternating relationfrom a ribbon, and thereafter.successively sub- 'ecting each partially cut portion ofthe ribon to theaction of a cutting die positioned in coaxial relation over a receivingelement.

2. The process of effecting the alternated positioning upon anon-circular stem of a series of laminar-y filtering discs of similarthough vva-riantly oriented interior perforatiofi, consisting in firstpartially cutting out units 'of each type alt-ernatingly from a ribbonand thereafter successively positioning each unit of the ribbon as thuscut in coaxial relation over a. receiving means and subjecting it to thecompleting cutting'action of a die of suitable contour, whereby each isblanked out from the remainder of the ribbon.

3. The process of building up about a stem a surrounding stack oflaminary filtering elements in alternated peripheral registry, whichconsists in first perforating a .ribbon with selected components of eachtype of disc in successive pairs, and thereafter successivel positionineach section of the ribbon as t us prepare over the stem and completingthe cutting operation. by eoaxially ap lied die action, whereby eachunit is release in turn-for descent to its desired position of relative`orientation about the stem.

4. The process of formin and mounting about a stem a series of iscelements of similar contour though of alternated relative peripheralorientation, consisting in successively cutting out the interiorportions of each disc lengthwise of a ribbon of the selected componentmaterial, and thereafter positioning each section of the ribbon Vas thusprepared in coaxial relation above the stem and successively liberatingeach unit from the surrounding web of the ribbon by eoaxially applieddie action, 4for descent about the stem in maintained relativeperipheral arrangement. v

5. 'lhc process of forming and positioning in alternating relation abouta 'correlating stem a plurality of laminary filtering discs sitionedcut-away portions, consisting 1n first effecting the interior cuttingrequired for each type of disc in alternating relation along the ribbonof selected material, and thereafter successively positioning each unitof the ribbon as thus prepared in coaxial relation over the stem andsubjecting it to further cutting operation along the line of theintended periphery of each disc by a coaxially moving die member,whereby each disc unit is in turn released from the web of the ribbonfor descent to its intended position about the stem.

6. The process of forming and positioning about a stem the componentalternated discs of a filtering stack, which consists in firstsubjecting successive sections oi' a ribbon of selected material toalternatingly variant cutting operations whereby the intra-peripheralapertures characteristic of each type of disc are made in desiredrelative position, and thereafter successively positioning each sectionof the ribbon as thus prepared in eoaxial relaton over the stem andeffecting the severance of each from the web of the ribbon by furtherappropriate cutting operation and allowing the then released and formeeldiscs to fall into position about the stem.

7. T he process of producing filtering discs of rariantly arrangedintra-peripheral contour and of arranging them in desired alternat`onand relative orientation upon a correlating stem, which consists infirst Cutting out partial outlines oi each characteristic type insuccessive alternation along. a ribbon or' suitable material, andthereafter completing the severance of' each unit from the Web 4()lofthe material in smilar sequence as each is successively positioned mcoax1al relatlon `tothe subjacently located stem, whereby each `unitWhen freed from the web of the ribbon may fall about the stem insuitably oriented.

relation to the adjacent units.

8. The process of assembling laminary units of alternatingly diverseperiphera orientation in superimposed relation, consisting in partiallyblanking the same from parent stock and subsequently completing theseverance thereof in position of operative alignment over a receivingelement, and delivering them to the receiving element.

9. The process of assembling in coaxial relation a plurality oflaminar-y units which are peripherally similar though of alternatinglyvariant orientation, consisting in effecting their partial severancefrom parent stock and then successively completing the severance of thevmembers ot' eachclass of' units in alternated relation over a receivingelement whose` operative engagement, with each then severed unit efectsthe maintenance of their desired alternation.

10. The process .of producing and positioning in alternated coaxialrelation a series of laminary elements of' similar though diverselyoriented contour, consisting in first effecting the partial severance ofthe elements of each class from parent stock and thereafteralternatingly presenting such partly severed elements to the finalsevering action of an. operating member at the moment that each insuccession is located o erativeiy adjacent a receiving element w oseaction thereupon results in the maintenance of the desired alternationof the several elements. j

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

VICTOR R. HEFTLER.

